phelps



UNITED STATES PATENT Oriucn.

OHARLESB. PHELPS AND J. BELLE PHELPS, OF IVERNERSVIIJLE, PA.

SHEEP-SHEARING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,262, dated November9, 1886.

I Application filed August 26, 1886. Serial No. 211,916. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES B. PHELPS and J. BELLE PHELPS, of the cityof Wernersville, in the county of Berks and State of Penn sylvania, haveinvented a new and Improved Sheep-Shearing Table, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description;

The object of our invention is to furnish a complete table forshearingand trimming sheep and for tying up the fleece, which table shall inwhich similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of the sheep'shearing table,showing a sheep heldthereon. Fig. 2 is I an enlarged perspective view of one of the stocks.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the table with the wool-apron removedfand Fig.4 is a sectional elevation of thetable, taken on the line :0 x of Fig.3.

Our sheep-shearing table is composed of two partsviz., the main table Aand the auxiliary table Osupported, respectively, by suitable legs orstandards, B D. The main table A is for supporting the body of thesheep,while the auxiliary table 0 supports its head, the auxiliarytable'being held in the-same plane with the main table A. The frontcorners of the main table A are formed with the projections a a, whichare provided each with a hook, I), for holding the legs of the sheep,and the main table A and auxiliary table 0 are arranged, relatively toeach other, so that a space, F, is formed. between their adjacent edges,through which space the front legs of the sheep swing when he isturned-from one sideto the other in shearing, and other hooks, b, areattached to the back of the main table A to receive the bails e e of thestocks E,for holding the sheep when turned upon the side opposite tothat shown in Fig. 1.

The sheeps head is held to the auxiliary ta- 7 ble 0 by the strap 65,which buckles around his neck or horns, and this strap is attached to ablock,f, which is provided also with a ring, f, to go over the sheepsnose, as shown in Fig. 1, and the block fis held to the auxiliary tableGin loose bearings c c, which permit the block to turn axially, so as togive considerable freedom and a degree of comfort to th sheep whileconfined for shearing.

At the rear edge of the main table A and the auxiliary table G areformed the projections or arms G GH, and rising from the outer ends ofthose arms is a fender, J consisting of the supporting posts j and thetop rail, j. (Shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.) Aninclined fender, K,reaches from the fender J to, the outer corner of the auxiliary table 0,consisting of the posts is and shorter posts, k, and the rail 7c,securedto the upper ends of the posts. Upon the fendersJ K is secured,by thefastening device 2'32, the outer edge of the apron L, while the inneredge of the apron is secured to the tables A O by the fastening devices1" i. In this manner the apron L is held in an inclined position toreceive the wool as it is clipped from the sheep, and a space, L, is cutin the apron to correspond with the space F, so the apron will notinterfere with the turning of the sheep. The stock E is formed with anedge-opening, m, and with side communicating openings, or m, to receivethe ankles of the sheep. Hinged to the stock is the block m", which isarranged to spread the limbs of the shee'p'into the spaces m m, and toclose the opening m, so that when the limbs of thesheep are inserted inthe stock and the block W closed into the space m the stock is thussecurely attached to the sheeps limbs. The staples or rings e,abovementioned, are attached to the back of the stock for connecting it withthe hooks b b of the table for holding the sheep securely upon thetable.

In the space F is secured the apron M,which may be detached from itsholding device Z during the shearing and turning of the sheep, but whichmay be connected withsaid holding devices when the fleece is to be tied.

By constructing the table as described it furnishes an absolutefastening for the legs and head, which fastenings can be easily andquickly applied by one person, and the fastenings hold the sheep on thetable in an easy position,in which it does not suffer nor struggle. Thefastenings allow the sheep to be instantly turning without lifting andwithout breaking the fleece or scattering the wool, and the fleece, whenwholly removed, is ready for tying for market with the clean side out,and when the sheep is held upon the table he is in the best position'possible for shearing, exposing all parts to the shears.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sheep-shearing table composed of a main table and an auxiliarytable arranged to form a space, F, between their adjacent edges, themain table being provided with fastening devices to hold the leg-stocks,substantially as.

described.

2. The sheep-shearing table composed of a main table, A, and anauxiliary table, 0, arranged to form the space F between their adj acentedges, in combination with an apron attached to the main and auxiliarytables to receive the fleece, substantially as described.

3. The sheep-shearing table composed of the main table A and auxiliarytable 0, arranged near the table A, and provided at the rear edge withfenders, in combination with the main and auxiliary tables, the fendersserving to hold the apron in'an inclined position, substantially asdescribed.

. 4. The sheepshearing table composed of a main table, A, and auxiliarytable 0, arranged to form a space, F, between their adjacent edges, incombination with a fastening device attached to the auxiliary table 0,for holding the sheeps head, substantially as described.

5. The sheep-shearing table composed of the main table A and auxiliarytable 0, arranged to form the space F between their adjacent edges, incombination with the rotary block f, attached to the auxiliary table 0,and provided with the ring f and straps d, substantially as described.

6. The leg-stock E, having fastening devices or loops 6, and formed withthe opening m and side openings, m m, in combination with theintermediate hinged block, m, arranged to close opening m and to retainthe animals legs in the openings m, substantially as de scribed.

. CHARLES B. PHELPS.

J. BELLE PHELPS. Witnesses:

J AMES R. KENNEY, CHAS. W. BAUM.

apron L, attached to the fenders and to the 0

